Quid Pro Quo
by Sidekicks-anonymous
Summary: Three times Mekaneck had Adam's back, and one time Adam returned the favor. 2002 MOTU-verse. Fraternal relationship.
1. Brothers

**I like the idea of Mekaneck being a surrogate big brother to Adam. So I wrote a story about it!**  
 **Five chapters. All in one day. On four hours of sleep.**  
 **My apologies for any mistakes that slipped through.**

* * *

Bushes didn't cry.

So when Mekaneck heard sniffling from a nearby shrub, he knew something was up. He parted the branches to reveal a scruffy blond head. "Prince Adam?

Adam looked up sharply. He hastily swiped a hand across his face, but Mekaneck could still see the tears. "Hey, Mekaneck…"

"What's wrong, kiddo?" It wasn't like Adam to cry. For that matter, it wasn't like him to be away from Man-at-Arm's daughter. Despite their sibling-like squabbling, the children were almost always together. "Where's Teela?

Adam scowled and turned away. "I don't know and I don't care."

Ah. "You guys had a fight, huh?" Adam nodded. "…You wanna come out and talk about it? I can't fit back there."

Adam was silent for a moment before crawling out of the bush. Mekaneck seated himself next to the distraught child. "So what happened?"

"She thinks she's so much better than me!" Adam exploded. "She's bossy and she beats me every time we play soldiers, and she acts like she knows everything!"

"That is frustrating."

Adam glared at the dirt. "I don't ever want to see her again. I _hate_ her."

Silence fell over the pair. The words were familiar to Mekaneck, though Adam had never spoken them before. The soldier rubbed the child's back gently. "I know exactly how you feel. I felt the same way about my brothers."

Adam stared in surprise. "You have brothers?"

"I had _six_ of them." Mekaneck smirked at the prince's gaping expression. "And all of them were older than me. If I had a nickel for every noogie, wet willy, and cruel jibe I got as a kid, I'd be richer than King Randor."

"Wow."

"Yep." Mekaneck laughed softly. "To be honest, that's one of the reasons I joined the army. They all enlisted before I did and they were _so_ stuck up about it. They rubbed it in my face that they were helping the nation and I wasn't. But I'd show them. I'd be the best soldier ever and prove that I could do anything as well as they could, or better.

"And now you're in the Royal Guard!" Adam declared. "And they're not. I bet they're jealous."

Mekaneck's smile faded. "They might be…if they'd survived the war."

Adam was stunned. Mekaneck went on, not meeting his gaze. "Their platoons were on the losing side of a skirmish in the Sands of Time. I didn't even find out until a week after. I hadn't seen any of them in over a year when they died.

Mekaneck sighed. "Looking back…all our squabbles seemed so petty. They might've been bossy and irritating, but they were still my family. They loved me. I loved them. I wish I could've said goodbye." The soldier finally turned to Adam. "If Teela left tomorrow and never came back, do you think you'd miss her?"

"…Yeah," the prince whispered.

"Do you really hate her?"

Adam's lip quivered. "No…" He burst into tears. Mekaneck wrapped an arm around him and he leaned into the embrace. He looked up the soldier with teary eyes. "D-do you think she'd miss me?"

"Of course she would. You're her best friend; she'd be devastated if she lost you." Mekaneck wiped the young prince's tears away and gave him a smile. "Why don't you go find her and make up?"

Adam nodded. He scrambled to his feet, pausing only briefly to give the solider a tight hug. "Thanks, Mekaneck."

"Anytime, kiddo." Mekaneck ruffled his hair before shooing him on his way. His smile turned melancholy as he watched Adam hurry away. In his mind's eye, he could see six other children scurrying around a farm, being loud and rambunctious and wonderfully full of life.

"Miss you guys…" he murmured.


	2. Soaring

The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and Mekaneck had a day off. He whistled as he crossed the courtyard. He'd probably check out the market first. Maybe see if any good shows were playing at the theatre. Of course, there was also that new spa he'd seen last time he went to town, the one touting Tabaxi-style massages. He was literally aching for a good massage—

The whistling died off as Mekaneck spotted the forlorn figure seated at the gates. Prince Adam sat hugging something to his chest. Cringer was curled around his feet, mewing softly, but his presence didn't seem to be helping Adam's mood.

"Adam?" Mekaneck stopped by the boy. "What's up."

Adam gave him a pitiful look and held up a hoverboard. "Dad was going to teach me to ride my new board today…"

"Ah." The King had been called away unexpectedly that morning to address a crisis in Felis Qadi. "It's okay—he'll be back soon."

"I know, but…" Adam sighed, staring at his board. "This _always_ happens. He's always gotta do kingly stuff and he never has any time for _me_. I miss him."

Mekaneck sat beside him. "He misses you too, Adam. But he has responsibilities—a whole kingdom's worth."

"Aren't I his responsibility, too?" Adam asked with a pout. Elders, that face could make a whole nation melt in sympathy…

"No. You're not Randor's responisibility." Mekaneck said gently. "You're his joy. You and the Queen, you're the reason he works so hard to keep the kingdom safe. To make it prosperous. Because he wants you two to have a good life."

Adam's shoulders lifted marginally out of their slump as he considered that. "I guess…" He sighed again. "I just…I wish he could be around more."

Mekaneck bit his lip thoughtfully. "…I know I'm not the King, but…I could help with your hoverboard."

Adam perked up. "Really?"

"Really."

"But don't you have stuff to do?"

"Nothing more important than helping the Prince of Eternia." Mekaneck ruffled the boy's hair playfully. Adam shoved his hand away with a laugh. That was better—the world was brighter when the prince was smiling. "Come on, let's go to the training courtyard—there's more room there."

* * *

I am fully aware that the Tabaxi are not part of the MOTU universe. But I'll pretend for now.


	3. Be My Eyes

Randor hopped off his transport before it even touched down in the courtyard. It was already late afternoon—the problem in Felis Qadi had fortunately been easy to resolve, but it had still taken far too much of his time.

Marlena met him at the palace door. He greeted her with a quick kiss. "Where's Adam?"

"In the training yard. Mekaneck's with him." Marlena followed her husband, having to almost run to keep up with his quick strides. Randor eyed the darkening sky anxiously. Not for the first time, he cursed the office the Elders had appointed him. All he'd ever wanted was to settle down with Marlena and live in peace, with his family as his top priority. Being king drew him away from the people he loved the most. He'd broken far too many promises to his young son for the sake of serving Eternia.

 _But not today,_ he thought determinedly. He still had time; he could play with Adam and teach him to ride his hoverboard and finally, _finally_ be a proper father to his son. Nothing would stop him. Not this time.

He finally reached the courtyard. His son's laughter echoed from inside, along with the sound of…engines? Randor stepped through the doorway. Adam was on his hoverboard, zooming in circles around the courtyard as Mekaneck cheered him on.

"I did it!" He cheered as he pulled to a stop beside the warrior. He stumbled as he dismounted, but Mekaneck caught him before he hit the ground.

"Way to go! You've really got the hang of this." Mekaneck praised him, completely unaware of Randor's presence. "You're a quick learner."

"You're a good teacher." Adam beamed. In the doorway, Randor stood stiff. An ugly feeling roiled in his stomach as he watched Mekaneck standing in what should have been _his_ place. Randor had felt it before. Jealousy. But never often and never as strong as this. It rose in him like bile, hot and bitter and screeching to be released.

He felt a hand on his arm. Marlena met his gaze, brows furrowed in concern. Randor took a deep breath. He turned away from the scene in the courtyard, struggling to compose himself. He should have expected this. This was what happened when you neglected your duties; someone else stepped in to fill them. He couldn't expect Adam to wait indefinitely for his father to make time for him. His jealousy was selfish.

But he still felt it.

* * *

Mekaneck rapped on the door to the King's study. "Come in." Came the muffled reply.

Mekaneck slipped inside, saluting his monarch. "you wanted to see me, sir?"

King Randor had his back to him. He took a moment before turning around. He seemed unusually stoic. He was often stoic since becoming king, but still…

"I appreciate you playing with Adam today." The king said.

"My pleasure, sir."

"Do you enjoy spending time with Adam?" Randor asked. Mekaneck hesitated to reply. Not because he doubted his answer, but because it seemed too…personal. Randor was his king and Adam was his prince, and as a soldier he was obligated to maintain a professional separation. Then again…Randor had never been big on professional distance. He treated his subordinates as equals; that's what made him a good king.

"I do enjoy it," he finally said, sincere. "Prince Adam is a good kid. And…it's nice to get to be a big brother." Randor stared at him and for a moment he worried that he'd crossed a line.

The king's lips twitched upward in a smirk. "Big brother, eh?"

"In a manner of speaking." Mekaneck relaxed. Randor leaned back in his chair with a weary sigh.

"Running a kingdom doesn't leave me much time for my family." He said, his tone tinged with sadness. "I can't always be there for Adam. I realize you have your own duties, and your own life, but…would you keep an eye on him? When Marlena and I aren't around?"

Mekaneck's eyebrows raised in surprise. Fortunately, the visor covered most of his expression. "Of…of course I will."

"Good." Randor met his gaze, serious. "I trust you, Mekaneck. Please don't fail me. Or Adam."

"I'd die before I failed you, sir. Either of you."


	4. Mud In Your Eye

Queen Marlena was a shrewd woman, not easy to fool. Her glare could make the most hardened warrior crumble. Right now, she was training that gaze on a muddy child and an equally muddy young soldier.

"And you're covered in mud because…?"

"He fell in a puddle by accident, ma'am. I'm afraid I wasn't watching him closely enough. My apologies, ma'am."

The queen raised an eyebrow. She turned her gaze to her son, who quickly looked away. She knew that look. The "I'm guilty and I know you know it" look. But neither he nor Mekaneck were confessing. It was irksome.

"Do you have anything to add, Adam?" She asked. Adam met her gaze with those limpid aqua-blue eyes.

"I'm sorry I got all dirty," he murmured. "I'll be more careful next time."

Marlena gave them both an extra-long dose of the Glare, but neither said anything more. At last, she sighed.

"Come on, Adam—let's get you cleaned up." She took Adam's hand and led him up the stairs. Adam glanced back over his shoulder and mouthed a silent "thank you. The soldier smirked and gave a two-fingered salute in reply.

He did feel bad about misleading the queen, but there was no need for Adam to get in more trouble. Yes, he'd jumped headfirst in a mud pit trying to save a baby deer. And yes, Mekaneck had nearly drowned trying to get both of them to safety with the deer kicking and squirming. But they'd managed to get out and the deer had been fine, so no harm done, besides the muddied clothes. Besides, if the prince's worst crime was overzealousness in saving lives…then Mekaneck could twist the truth a bit to cover for him.


	5. Got Your Back

Mekaneck's vision wavered, making the world around him swirl and distort like a funhouse mirror. He closed his eyes, resting his head on the dirty floor while voices argued above him.

"I can't believe you wasted my time with this second-rate Master!" Beastman growled. A clawed foot kicked Mekaneck's side. He grunted softly, more out of reflex than anything; he was in so much pain already that he hardly felt the blow. "He's useless! He doesn't know anything!"

"He's a Master of the Universe; he knows plenty of intel your boss could use!" One of the thieves protested. "Just a matter of gettin' him to spill it!"

"This worm isn't worth anything. Except perhaps as griffon chow." The pad of footsteps leaving. "Bother me like this again, and I'll use _you_ two for fodder."

A door slammed. Silence. One of the thieves sighed.

"'Our big break,' you said. 'The prince got away but Skeletor will pay plenty for a Master of the Universe,' you said—"

"Shut up. We can still make this work. Plenty of other capos who'd love the chance to off a Master." A foot nudged his neck. "If nothing else, those cybernetics are worth something…"

 _Get up,_ Mekaneck told himself. _Fight._ But his limbs were so heavy. And the darkness was so hard to shake off…

He felt himself being dragged. _I'm going to die,_ he thought. The thought should have filled him with new strength, but he'd apparently exhausted his adrenaline supply during the initial ambush. At least he could die with honor. He'd defended Prince Adam, giving the boy the chance to escape. And he hadn't revealed any state secrets, no matter how much they'd beaten him. He'd done his job well—he could leave this world in peace.

A muffled crash reached his ears. He opened one eye, curious. The thieves stopped.

"What was—?"

The far wall exploded, and a massive figure lunged forward through the dust. There was a flash of steel and cries of panic and a flurry of swinging limbs. In a few seconds, it was over. Mekaneck forced his head up and found himself staring at a pair of leather boots.

"Mekaneck?" The owner of the boots knelt beside him, face coming into view. He-Man. Elders, that man had good timing. Mekaneck let his head thump back to the floor. Looks like he wouldn't be dying today after all. Yippee.

"Hang on, Mek; I'll get you home." He-Man lifted the beaten soldier in his arms as if he were a child. He strode out of the ruined building, muttering. "It's the Forgotten Forest in reverse…"

 _What? What's that mean?_ Mekaneck struggled to make sense of the remark—something about it rang in his memory—but the thoughts slipped away from him. He gave up as He-Man draped him over Battlecat's saddle. He could think about it later. He allowed himself to drift in to unconsciousness as the giant cat bounded away…

* * *

The bright lights of the palace medical ward greeted Mekaneck when he awoke. He inhaled the clean antiseptic scent and sighed in relief. Home.

The doctor said his injuries were relatively mild, but she still fussed over him a few minutes before leaving to "fetch his visitors." Mekaneck sat up gingerly, wincing. Yep, those ribs were cracked. And there were bruises everywhere. And that goose egg on his skull would be sore for a while. But he was alive—that was the important thing. Apparently his friends shared his relief; several bunches of flowers already decorated his side table. He was smirking at an arrangement of weeds—from Orko, he'd guess—when Prince Adam ran in.

"Mekaneck!" The prince rushed to his bedside. Teela and Cringer were close behind him. "How do you feel? Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine." Mekaneck assured him. "You're okay. then? You got away?"

Adam crossed his arms like an irate mother. "I'm fine, thanks to you. But if He-Man hadn't found you as soon as he did—"

"Don't worry about it. I'm fine. And I'll probably get a few vacation days to recover, so bonus." He said jokingly. Adam glowered at him a few moments longer before cracking a smile.

"Maybe Adam shouldn't leave the castle anymore." Teela commented, sitting on the edge of the bed. "He attracts trouble like honey attracts flies."

"I do not!"

"You do, too. I remember how many time the Masters had to go traipsing through swamps and forests to track you down—"

"The Forgotten Forest!" Mekaneck burst out. The teenagers stared at him. He didn't notice. He-Man's comment from the previous night came back to his mind.

"You got lost in the Forgotten Forest," he reminded a baffled Adam. "When you were—what, six? And we had to go through a mud pit to get home and I had to carry you out."

"Thanks for the reminder, Mek." Adam remarked dryly.

"No, I mean…He-Man said something when he saved me. About it being the Forgotten Forest in reverse…" Mekaneck trailed off, too deep in thought to notice the panic that flitted across Adam's face.

"You think he was talking about you saving Adam?" Teela asked.

"I don't know how he would know about it…" Mekaneck frowned.

"Are you sure He-Man said that?" Adam asked tentatively. "I mean, you were pretty out of it when he brought you back."

That was a good point. Had he just imagined it? Mekaneck sighed, slumping back against his pillows. "Maybe. I guess it's not important."

"Nope. What's important is that you're still around." Adam slapped his shoulder, grinning. And despite the sting the slap sent through his bruised arm, Mekaneck couldn't help but smile back.


End file.
